Parent info
Young people can choose to follow many different career pathways post-16 and post-18.
These include attending Sixth Form or College or taking on an apprenticeship, traineeships, or T-Levels.
We aim for our students to select pathways matching their skills and talents, leading to confident young adults ready to succeed in a modern workplace.
Parents and carers are essential in supporting children through these important choices. This page is full of useful resources to help you guide your child on the best choice for them.
Our careers overview
Our comprehensive careers advice and guidance program is designed to support each student’s journey from education to employment.
We focus on three areas:
Individualisation
Ensuring that each student’s unique aspirations and skills are nurtured and developed. Our program aims to increase aspiration and provide essential skills development, including CV writing, interview techniques, and practical research methods for jobs, apprenticeships, colleges, and universities.
Knowledge development
Helping students understand their interests and skills and learn about various career routes. Through discussions with external careers advisors, work shadowing in KS4, and work experience in KS5, we provide practical insights into the working world. The START platform aids students in exploring career ideas and creating personal skills profiles.
Decision refinement
Addresses gender stereotyping and broadens students’ awareness of options and choices. We help them hone their ideas, match them to appropriate qualifications, and refine their choices as they move from KS3 to KS4, KS4 to KS5, and beyond. We aim to ensure each student reaches their desired outcome and secures a destination appropriate for their ambitions and abilities.
Here’s how our programme develops throughout each year.
- Awareness of career possibilities and exploring own skills
- Issues around gender stereotyping considered
- Year 7 Careers Morning using START
- Awareness of career possibilities and exploring own skills
- Issues around gender stereotyping considered
- Year 7 Careers Morning using START
- Careers learning linked to qualification choices
- Year 9 Careers afternoon – Carousel of 12 businesses discussing entry routes and qualification requirements
- Careers learning linked to post-16 choices, including apprenticeships, colleges, and companies
- Afternoon session with choice of 3 careers more closely tied to career aspirations
- ‘Moving On into Year 11’ day at the end of Year 10
- Careers learning focused on CV building, cover letters, and interview skills
- Access to an external careers advisor
- Interview morning in December with individual interviews tailored to students’ interests
- Access to an external careers advisor
- UCAS talks and university talks, including Oxbridge visits
- Apprenticeship talks
- Support with UCAS personal statements and applications
- Support with apprenticeship choices and applications
Year 9 options
One of your child’s big decisions in school is the subjects they study during Key Stage 4. Many will then go on to Sixth Form at Dallam, while others may choose college or start an apprenticeship.
Our Year 9 Options booklet includes loads of information about all subjects and the process of choosing them.
Work experience
Work experience is a great way to build evidence for your child’s CVs and future applications. They can do it in their own time, after school or during the holidays. Experiences can be as short as a one-hour insight into an organisation through to a full week. They don’t have to limit your experience to Cumbria or Lancashire; there are opportunities and placements all over the country and virtual options.
UCAS
Sixth Form students will use UCAS to apply for universities. It provides essential information about their education and achievements. We’ll guide them through the whole process, helping them to present their strengths and experiences as they apply for their preferred university places.
Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships are a great way to earn and learn, with competitive wages and the opportunity to study as they go. Here are some websites packed with information about becoming an apprentice.
Useful resources
The Start in Cumbria and Lancashire websites include helpful information about jobs and career opportunities and local education and training provisions.
Students can use BBC Bitesize to help with your homework, revision and learning for all school years. Find free videos, step-by-step guides, activities and quizzes.
